


It's Nothing

by Sourlander



Series: Gingerpilot Teacher!AU [3]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Armitage and Rey are just friends, Armitage takes care of Rey, Chronic Pain, Endometriosis, Gen, Gingerpilot, Hurt and comfort, Pain, Pain Killers, Period Cramps, Rey Needs A Hug (Star Wars), hurt and comfort in friendship, reyrose - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:14:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28892721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sourlander/pseuds/Sourlander
Summary: Rey doesn't want Armitage's help, but she really needs someone to tell her to go home.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Armitage Hux, Rey/Rose Tico
Series: Gingerpilot Teacher!AU [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2059689
Comments: 6
Kudos: 17





	It's Nothing

**Author's Note:**

> Quick warning: this is a fic with a character who suffers from endometriosis. If you don't feel comfortable reading about the pain that comes with it, don't read this fic.

Armitage watched the last few students trail out of the room for lunch break.

He couldn’t quite believe he’d been at Anchorhead High School for three months now. Three whole months! It was a miracle how easy it was to forget about his past life sometimes. Especially when experiments worked exactly the way he wanted them to. Especially when he found that he was not a lousy teacher after all.

Leaning against the tiled desk, he went through the list of students on his tablet and started taking down notes. Best to do that straight away, or he’d forget about them.

Gillian had been the best today. No doubt about it. She usually exceeded in both Physics and Music. He really should ask other teachers how she was faring in other classes. Maybe they should approach her about applying for a scholarship. He would have to ask Rose how to handle that best. She knew most about that sort of thing.

He opened his calendar and made a note about asking her first thing Monday.

Shuffling footsteps from the door made him look up. No student. Just Rey. “Hey,” he said, looking down at his tablet again. It was her turn to teach in this room after lunch.

“Hey.” Her tired voice made him look up again. She was frowning at the floor as she slowly made her way inside.

“Bad day?”

She shrugged and threw her bag down next to Armitage’s tablet.

“I finished reading your book again yesterday,” he said with a smile, hoping to cheer her up. She was never like this. At first she’d been wary, claiming that his distaste for cake was untrustworthy, but since Armitage had moved in with Poe, she’d become downright cheery in his company. “It was even better the second time around.” He leaned in closer to her, but she only managed a barely visible smile.

“Thank you,” she said. “It means a lot.”

“Doesn’t sound like it. What’s up?” She looked pale. Why was he only seeing that now? She was white as a sheet and she almost slouched over the table.

She shook her head. “Don’t feel that good. And I’m all out of ibuprofen.”

Armitage pulled a face. “Bad headache?” he reached into his back pocket to get the emergency pain killer out of his wallet. He only hoped it hadn’t been squashed yet.

“No.” Rey said, rubbing her forehead and taking the pill with a grateful smile. “Thanks, you’re a lifesaver.” She opened her bag to take out her water bottle.

Was he imagining it, or was she actually shaking? “Rey, how long do you have to teach today?”

She shrugged, popped the pill into her mouth and gulped it down with a swig from the aluminium flask. “Only that lesson after lunch.”

Armitage paused, watching her screw the lid on the flask again and put it back into her bag. She was still slouched over, shoulders tense and avoiding his eyes as though begging him to leave. “Rey, what’s wrong?”

Closing her eyes, she almost looked like she was about to start crying. The sight of those trembling eyelids made his heart stutter in panic. She looked ready to topple over.

“Rey?” He reached out a hand to touch her arm.

Blinking, she looked at him. No tears. Just pain. Real, tangible pain.

“I’m just on my period. I’ll be okay.” It sounded like she’d said it a million times. Like she was desperate to believe it herself and Armitage felt the urge to row back, to keep up the illusion that he believed her. It would’ve been so easy. But he remembered that time Summer had almost collapsed on stage. He remembered it all too well. The tears of shame at what was happening to her. He’d taken her to her changing room and raided the entire backstage area for every scarp of chocolate he could find. It hadn’t helped much, but it had made her smile at least.

“Is that one pill going to be enough?” he asked instead and watched in horror as he saw her fight a grimace.

“Sure. It’ll help.”

Swallowing hard, he closed his tablet case, but it into his bag and reached for her bag as well. “I’m taking you home,” he said, walking around the table and throwing an arm around her. It was something Poe would do. Or Rose.

Neither one of them was available. They were on a teaching conference up in Mos Espa for the day. This was on him. And not only because he was the only one available.

“But-“  
“I don’t want to hear you arguing,” he said, slinging her bag over his shoulder. “I’m done for today and I can teach the kids.”

He was almost sure he heard a chuckle. He looked down at her. She looked ready to throw up. Had she eaten at all today?

“Maybe not as well as you, but I can keep them from jumping out of the window at least by putting on a film.” He pulled her closer to him and kissed the top of her head. There. He had never done that before. But this was an extreme situation and he felt her lean into him at once.

Nodding, she put her arms around his middle. “I’m so sorry…” She’d given in. That was something. It only showed how hard this was on her.

“Don’t be.” Armitage shook his head. “Can you walk?”

“I’m not an invalid.”

“No, but you look like one.”

Rey scoffed. “It’s okay,” she said again. “Thank you.”

Armitage nodded and let go of her as he started towards the door. She was following in his wake, still slouching. Still pale. His heart contracted painfully.

“I can carry my bag.”

“No, let me. Come on, I’m not that weak.”

Smiling feebly up at him, she followed him out into the now deserted corridor.

“No, you really aren’t.” He forced himself to return her smile and locked the door. “Do you have painkillers at home?”

“Yes.” Rey passed a hand over her damp forehead. Not long until they were at his car. Armitage could almost hear her calculate how many steps she’d have to take until they got there. “Rose normally stocks up ahead of time… I just forgot to pack any today.”

“You’ve been feeling like _this_ all day?!”

Rey shrugged. “You know, I can drive myself.”

“Maybe.” Armitage shook his head at her feeble attempt. “But I’m not letting you.” Firstly, because Rose would kill him if anything happened to her on her way. Then, if she didn’t succeed, Poe would give it a go, and if that didn’t work, he might just have to jump off a bridge himself. It really wasn’t worth the trouble. He didn’t say it though. Rey didn’t look like she was ready for jokes.

“Okay,” she said instead, all her fierceness evaporating. “Thank you.”

Armitage nodded. They’d reached the atrium and the main entrance.

“It’s what friends are for,” he said, holding the door open for her. “I’ll get you a pizza right after school. I promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> I've been meaning to write a ficlet about Hux taking care of someone. Since my own endometriosis started up again yesterday and because it's really bad today, I wanted to write it now. I hope you liked this little hurt/comfort fic for these two friends.
> 
> As usual, comments are always welcome.


End file.
